The holidays are over and the unending political season rolls on into yet another year. So what issues lie before us in this new season? Well the Republicans now control the House of Representatives, and want to exert their zeal to stop wasting America's time and get down to the work of the people. So what do they put first on their agenda? The repeal of Health care Reform. This will never see the light of day, and while it may pass the new right wing House, it will never see the Senate floor, or survive a Presidential veto, so much for not wasting America's time. John Boehner is now Speaker of the House, I'll let that speak for itself for now.
The tragedy in Tuscon has consumed most of the week. I'm sure all of you know the details of the tragedy so I won't waste time repeating them here. At the memorial for the fallen and injured which included Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ), President Obama gave one of the best speeches I think he's given since his campaign days. I was very glad for this, because his last few national conversations were mediocre at best. He needs to give more of these kind of speeches that stir pride in the America we all share. I was also glad he concentrated on the victims, and didn't fall into the trap of making the tragedy wholly about the political discourse this event has brought to the front page. Now while he did touch on the issue, he did it with tact and understanding that never eclipsed the true meaning behind the memorial. This was no easy task, and he performed brilliantly in an atmosphere ripe to find fault with the smallest of diversions from the job at hand.
This atmosphere created by the right, was looking for him to point a finger in their direction as a contributing factor to the tragedy. Just hours before President Obama's speech a defiant Sarah Palin released a video crying "Mia Culpa" claiming the tragedy stands on its own, and nothing she or anyone else did or said contributed to the shooting. Even though she marked Congresswoman Giffords district with a gun cross hairs, while saying don't retreat, reload. It was one of many cross hairs on a national map targeting solely Democratic members of Congress for defeat in the 2010 elections. Unable to make any point without putting her foot in her mouth, she further insulted the Jewish community by using the term "Blood Liable" which throughout history has referred to Jews using the blood of Christian children to make bread. She continues to keep herself on the top of the WTF scale, as well as, boggle the minds of most educated Americans.
The tragedy in Tuscon has also raised the gun control debate to the forefront. In particular the use of long clips which hold upwards of 3 times the ammunition of a regular clip, and the process of mental health checks when purchasing a gun. Do people really need to have a semi automatic GLOK 9mm with a 31 bullet clip? Are there bunkers of heavily armed squirrels strategically hidden in the woodlands of America, that necessitate these kind of weapons? If the law requires you to check a database for information on a potential buyers mental health, shouldn't it be mandatory to SUPPLY that information? If not what is the point? Now the NRA will fight any measures to change the status quo, you know guns don't kill people, people kill people. Yeah crazy people with GUNS! It's like saying cars don't kill people, people kill people. Well cars can be just as deadly as a gun. The problem is cars are not protected by the 2nd Amendment of the Constitution. In Arizona right now, you can be crazy, buy a gun, carry it concealed, go to a bar or restaurant, an airport, and coming soon schools and college campuses. You can do all this and WITHOUT A PERMIT OF ANY KIND! Makes me wanna pack up and move... EAST! First there was Virginia Tech, now Tuscon, and who knows how many others will happen before some common sense legislation gets past. We are not coming for your guns, but you don't need a bazooka, or 50 bullet clips to hunt deer, or target practice (well maybe Sarah Palin), but lets get real here.
Finally, there is something to be said for the rights reaction in general to Tuscon. Beck, Limbaugh, Palin and the rest haven't just reacted, they've overreacted. We were not in Tuscon, we didn't shoot that congresswoman, to link us in any way is reprehensible. We are not to blame, well yeah you kinda are. When you put cross hairs on people, say things like "don't retreat, reload." constantly call an abortion doctor "Tiller the Killer", when you compare your President to Nazi Germany a nation responsible for the death of 40 million people, when you go to rallies armed and carry banners that say "...the Tree of Liberty must be watered with the blood of tyrants." If you do or agree with any of these sentiments, you are responsible. Now I won't go so far as to say this has all come from the right, but MOST of it has.
Congress recently got a 77% approval rating, you know what for? The lame duck session when both parties worked together and actually accomplished something. You may not like the compromises that came down, I didn't, but there comes a time when you have to come out of your trench, cross no mans land, and shake hands in compromise. The trench warfare has to end, and we have to stop talking AT each other, and start talking TO each other. Words and Ideas can be powerful things, if we take the time to listen and then try to reach common ground. It is not a new idea, we have been doing it for over 200 years. However, if we continue to dig in and obstruct at every opportunity, the very nature of our Democracy will begin to fail. We have some big challenges on the horizon, now that we have divided government will we move ahead, or continue to stagnate. I look forward to discovering the answer.
The tragedy in Tuscon has consumed most of the week. I'm sure all of you know the details of the tragedy so I won't waste time repeating them here. At the memorial for the fallen and injured which included Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ), President Obama gave one of the best speeches I think he's given since his campaign days. I was very glad for this, because his last few national conversations were mediocre at best. He needs to give more of these kind of speeches that stir pride in the America we all share. I was also glad he concentrated on the victims, and didn't fall into the trap of making the tragedy wholly about the political discourse this event has brought to the front page. Now while he did touch on the issue, he did it with tact and understanding that never eclipsed the true meaning behind the memorial. This was no easy task, and he performed brilliantly in an atmosphere ripe to find fault with the smallest of diversions from the job at hand.
This atmosphere created by the right, was looking for him to point a finger in their direction as a contributing factor to the tragedy. Just hours before President Obama's speech a defiant Sarah Palin released a video crying "Mia Culpa" claiming the tragedy stands on its own, and nothing she or anyone else did or said contributed to the shooting. Even though she marked Congresswoman Giffords district with a gun cross hairs, while saying don't retreat, reload. It was one of many cross hairs on a national map targeting solely Democratic members of Congress for defeat in the 2010 elections. Unable to make any point without putting her foot in her mouth, she further insulted the Jewish community by using the term "Blood Liable" which throughout history has referred to Jews using the blood of Christian children to make bread. She continues to keep herself on the top of the WTF scale, as well as, boggle the minds of most educated Americans.
The tragedy in Tuscon has also raised the gun control debate to the forefront. In particular the use of long clips which hold upwards of 3 times the ammunition of a regular clip, and the process of mental health checks when purchasing a gun. Do people really need to have a semi automatic GLOK 9mm with a 31 bullet clip? Are there bunkers of heavily armed squirrels strategically hidden in the woodlands of America, that necessitate these kind of weapons? If the law requires you to check a database for information on a potential buyers mental health, shouldn't it be mandatory to SUPPLY that information? If not what is the point? Now the NRA will fight any measures to change the status quo, you know guns don't kill people, people kill people. Yeah crazy people with GUNS! It's like saying cars don't kill people, people kill people. Well cars can be just as deadly as a gun. The problem is cars are not protected by the 2nd Amendment of the Constitution. In Arizona right now, you can be crazy, buy a gun, carry it concealed, go to a bar or restaurant, an airport, and coming soon schools and college campuses. You can do all this and WITHOUT A PERMIT OF ANY KIND! Makes me wanna pack up and move... EAST! First there was Virginia Tech, now Tuscon, and who knows how many others will happen before some common sense legislation gets past. We are not coming for your guns, but you don't need a bazooka, or 50 bullet clips to hunt deer, or target practice (well maybe Sarah Palin), but lets get real here.
Finally, there is something to be said for the rights reaction in general to Tuscon. Beck, Limbaugh, Palin and the rest haven't just reacted, they've overreacted. We were not in Tuscon, we didn't shoot that congresswoman, to link us in any way is reprehensible. We are not to blame, well yeah you kinda are. When you put cross hairs on people, say things like "don't retreat, reload." constantly call an abortion doctor "Tiller the Killer", when you compare your President to Nazi Germany a nation responsible for the death of 40 million people, when you go to rallies armed and carry banners that say "...the Tree of Liberty must be watered with the blood of tyrants." If you do or agree with any of these sentiments, you are responsible. Now I won't go so far as to say this has all come from the right, but MOST of it has.
Congress recently got a 77% approval rating, you know what for? The lame duck session when both parties worked together and actually accomplished something. You may not like the compromises that came down, I didn't, but there comes a time when you have to come out of your trench, cross no mans land, and shake hands in compromise. The trench warfare has to end, and we have to stop talking AT each other, and start talking TO each other. Words and Ideas can be powerful things, if we take the time to listen and then try to reach common ground. It is not a new idea, we have been doing it for over 200 years. However, if we continue to dig in and obstruct at every opportunity, the very nature of our Democracy will begin to fail. We have some big challenges on the horizon, now that we have divided government will we move ahead, or continue to stagnate. I look forward to discovering the answer.
